Doritaenopsis plant named ‘SOGO F977’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Doritaenopsis  plant named ‘SOGO l/F977’, comprises its flowers of pink dapple toward white base and the red purple labellum, freely flowering habit, upright, freely branching and sturdy flowering stems, and the excellent postproduction longevity.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Doritaenopsis Orchid cultivar SOGO F977.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Doritaenopsis Orchid, a bigeneric hybrid of Doritis×Phalaenopsis of the family Orchidaceae, and hereinafter referred to a cultivar name, SOGO F977. The genus Doritaenopsis is a member of the family Orchidaceae.

Doritaenopsis comprise a group of bigeneric hybrids generally intermediate in character between the parent genera, which are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. The parent genera of Doritaenopsis are predominantly epiphytic or rock dwelling, and are native to tropical Asia, Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically have 2-ranked fleshy oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Doritaenopsis orchid, often referred to ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade, or sold as flowering potted plants for home or interiorscape.

Doritaenopsis produce upright racemes, often with many showy flowers, which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals, and three petals, the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three lobed and is often more brightly colored than other flower segments. Flower colors are frequently various shades of pink, white and yellow.

Doritaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. However, Doritaenopsis is capable of being asexually reproduced from offshoots, which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

‘SOGO F977’ is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform pot-type Doritaenopsis Orchid cultivars having attractive flower coloration. The inventor has been addressed himself to the Orchids breeding since 1985.

‘SOGO F977’ was discovered by the inventor from within the progeny of a cross-pollination of one Phalaenopsis Orchid, Phalaenopsis ‘Ho's French Fantasia’ and one Doritaenopsis Orchid, Doritaenopsis ‘Sun Prince’, on Feb. 1999, in a controlled environment in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Asexual propagation by tissue culture in a laboratory in Pingdong County, Taiwan, R.O.C. has been used to increase the number of plants for evaluation and has demonstrated in a controlled environment in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C. that the unique combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new Doritaenopsis Orchid are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘SOGO F977’ which in combination distinguish this Doritaenopsis Orchid as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Pink dapple toward white base and the red purple colored         labellum.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Upright, freely branching and sturdy flowering stems.     -   4. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of ‘SOGO F977’ differ primarily from plants of the parent cultivars in flower color. The main color of petals of Doritaenopsis ‘Sun Prince’ is RHS 60D, and the pattern color is RHS 60A. The main color of petals of Phalaenosis ‘Ho's French Fantasia’ is RHS 155D, and the pattern color is RHS 64B.

Currently, there is no commercial cultivar to which ‘SOGO F977’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanied photographic illustrations show typical plant and flower characteristics of ‘SOGO F977’ with colors being as true as possible with illustrations of this type.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a plant of ‘SOGO F977’ flowering in the pot of 13 cm.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view showing the characteristics of the flower.

FIG. 3 is a close-up view showing the characteristics of the leaf.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

‘SOGO F977’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilization and day length without any change in the genotype.

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C. under the conditions, which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Colour Chart.

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following detailed botanical description were 18 months in maturity and grown in the pots of 13 cm, in a controlled greenhouse with day-night temperature around 25–18 degree Celsius, and light intensity between 15,000–20,000 lux natural light, in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, R.O.C.

-   Origin: Seedling from a cross of selected Doritaenopsis and     Phalaenopsis but unnamed parentage. -   Classification: Doritaenopsis hybrid cv. ‘SOGO F977’ -   Propagation: Asexual propagation by tissue culture. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant height.—Soil level to top of foliar plane is about 10             to 15 cm.         -   Plant height.—Soil level to top of inflorescences is about             35 to 45 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—Is about 15 to 20 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Compact, small, dark-green leaves and a             relatively short raceme.         -   Flowers per stem.—Approximately 8 to 13. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Quantity.—Approximately 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Size of leaf.—10 to 15 cm long and 5 to 7 cm wide.         -   Shape.—The leaf blade is short and elliptic with a cuneate             base and an obtuse tip. The leaf blade is leathery and             thick. The middle vein protrudes, while the other veins are             not visible in the thick leaf blade.         -   Attitude.—Horizontal and on two sides parallel.         -   Color.—Upper surface: Dark-green, RHS 137A. Lower surface:             Light-green, RHS 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged             in racemes. Flowers are roughly pentagonal in shape.             Flowering stems upright, freely branching and sturdy. Plants             freely flowering; plants typically produce one to three             branched flowering stems with at least 6 to 10 flowers each.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.             Natural flowering season.—From February to April in the             southern part of Taiwan. The flower spikes can be induced             under the controlled environment, of which day-night             temperature at 25–18 degree C. for 2 weeks.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of ‘SOGO F977’ maintain             good leaf and flower substance for about three to six months             on the plant under interior environmental conditions.             Lastingness of cut flowers has not been observed.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 10 to 15 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 30 to 35 cm.         -   General impressions of petals and sepals.—Horizontal             elliptical in shape, about 9.2 cm of flower width in front             view.         -   Sepals.—There are 3 sepals which are fleshy and glabrous in             texture, with straight margins and in elliptical shape,             about 4.2 cm in length and 3.5 cm in diameter. The main             color of dorsal sepal is RHS N155D, the pattern color of             dorsal sepal is N81A. The main color of lateral sepals is             RHS N155D, the pattern color of lateral sepal is N81A.         -   Petals.—There are 2 open petals which are fleshy and             glabrous in texture, with margins weakly undulate and in             elliptical shape, about 4.1 cm in length and 5.9 cm in             diameter. The main color of petals is RHS 61B, the pattern             color of petals is N81A.         -   Labellum (lip).—The lip whiskers are absent, shape of apical             lobe is ovate, approximately 3.3 cm long and 2.4 cm wide.             The base color of apical lobe is RHS 60B, the tip color of             apical lobe is RHS 71A.         -   Peduncles.—Length about 50 to 60 cm, diameter about 4 mm,             upright, strong and sturdy, with smooth and glabrous             texture. Color is RHS 147A.         -   Pedicels.—Length about 3.9 cm, diameter about 4 mm. Aspect             about 85.degree from vertical. Strong, with a texture of             smooth and glabrous. Color RHS 60C, towards the base,             overlaid with RHS 148A. -   Reproductive organs: The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a     single, short structure called the column, possessing one terminal     anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia, which are covered     by an anther cap. The stigma is located under the column behind the     pollinia. The ovary is inferior with three carpels present. The     plant has not produced seed.     -   -   Column.—Approximately 10 mm long and 6 mm wide, RHS 155D.         -   Pollinia.—Two, about 1 mm oval masses of pollen present, RHS             23A.         -   Ovary.—7 to 9 mm long and 2.3 mm in diameter, RHS 75B. -   Roots: Fleshy, approximately 4 mm wide and green, RHS 189B. -   Plant disease resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   General observations: Doritaenopsis ‘SOGO F977’ produces two or more     inflorescence with flowers having sepals and petals in the color of     pink dapple toward white base. A red purple labellum. The     inflorescence is strong, erect and sturdy, relatively short, and     easily packaged for shipping. The plant grows very quickly to     marketable size. ‘SOGO F977’ can be economically propagated via     tissue culture. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Doritaenopsis orchid plant named ‘SOGO F977’ as illustrated and described. 